Just in time to avert the mini-crisis on your holiday shopping list: What to get that helpful neighbor/adorable niece/plucky cat sitter? The Fond du Lac Public Library’s BookCellar sells $5 gift certificates.

The BookCellar, located in the library’s lower level, is Fond du Lac’s only used books store. It sells books, movies, music and more at great prices: most books are $1, kids’ books and paperbacks are 50 cents. It also has rare, vintage and collectible books at very affordable prices. The store is run primarily by volunteers, and proceeds benefit library programming.

The Fond du Lac Public Library will celebrate the Downtown Fond du Lac Home for the Holidays on Saturday, December 1, with a kids’ holiday treasure hunt and guess-how-many game in the Children’s Room all day. Just drop in during open hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Fond du Lac Public Library is holding a special Holiday Craft Storytime at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 13.

All ages are welcome for the family-oriented program that will feature stories about the holidays and wintertime, plus a special make-and-take glittery Christmas craft. Children ages 5 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

The Fond du Lac Public Library has set up Giving Trees at the downtown library and at FDLPL Express on east Johnson Street to collect donations of hats, scarves, mittens and gloves. Donated items will be given to the Fond du Lac Salvation Army before Christmas for distribution to local children.

Trench warfare during World War I was particularly brutal. The Great War encompassed four long years of suffering: of the more than 70 million military personnel mobilized, more than nine million were killed.

The Fond du Lac Public Library’s annual Fond du Lac Reads celebration in October focused on the novel, Wingshooters, by Nina Revoyr. During the month, the community was invited to “write” poems in the library’s Book Spine Poetry Contest – Talking About Tolerance. Poems were written using the words on the spines of books, movies or CDs.

On Wednesday, Mary Wehner and Paula Sergi of the Foot of the Lake Poetry Collective judged the entries and awarded first, second and third place prizes.

Like so many other authors, Karen Robards decided to follow the popular paranormal route in her latest novel, Last Victim. Charlotte "Charlie" Stone is a psychologist studying serial killers for the Department of Justice. She is definitely qualified for this profession because as a teenager she was the only survivor of a killer known as the Boardwalk Killer. Having witnessed her friend's family brutally murdered, Charlie has since dedicated her life to finding out what makes these killers do what they do.

Local psychologist Dr. Matt Doll will present Not One of Us: The Psychology of Prejudice at 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 23, at the Fond du Lac Public Library.

Doll will present information and discuss the psychological nature of racism, intolerance, family ties, bullying and loyalty in a program suitable for parents and middle-school-aged and older children. He’ll explore how grownups can help children understand and deal with problems they face when among friends and at school. The program is free; no registration required.

One thing the folks at the Fond du Lac Public Library know for sure is that Reading ROCKS! They’re going to prove it on Tuesday, November 20, at a free event for kids ages 3 to 8. From 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., kids are invited to come to the Children’s Room for stories, games, crafts and more. There will be a drawing for door prizes at 6 p.m. (must be present to win).